Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
Just days after the new government took over in Israel a major flare-up took place, since Israel agreed to ceasefire on May 21.
Israel says it has launched air strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for incendiary balloons fired from the territory.
The incident becomes the first violence since Israeli’s new coalition government came to power last weekend, headed by Naftali Bennett and drawing an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime minister.
Explosions were heard in Gaza City in the wee hours of Wednesday. This actually followed the episode where several balloons were sent from Gaza into Israel earlier on Tuesday causing multiple fires, according to the Israeli fire service.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said its fighter jets had hit military compounds operated by Hamas in Khan Yunis and Gaza City.
It followed a march by Jewish nationalists in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, which had drawn threats from Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza.
Statement said terrorist activity took place in the compound, and that the IDF was prepared for all scenarios, including the resumption of hostilities, in the face of continued terror acts from the Gaza Strip. It is not yet clear if the air strikes have caused any casualties.
A Hamas spokesman said in a statement on Twitter that Palestinians would continue to pursue their brave resistance and defend their rights and sacred sites in Jerusalem.
Israel’s fire service said the incendiary balloons launched earlier from Gaza had caused at least 20 fires in fields by communities in southern Israel.
The recent air raids lasted for only 10 minutes, but they were enough to remind the city’s residents, who are trying to recover from the aftermath of the recent fighting, that the ceasefire is fragile.
